Automated machines are used widely to balance brake disc rotors having radial walls defining tapered recesses by driving tapered weights into selected recesses. Such machines are available commercially from ITW Micro-Poise Components (a division of Illinois Tool Works Inc.) of Chicago, Ill., and Indianapolis, Ind., under its MICRO-POISE trademark. Such weights are known as hairpin weights, balance weights, and cartridge weights.
Typically, in such a machine, three stations are provided. In a testing station, a brake disc rotor is tested to determine whether it exhibits more than an acceptable amount of rotational imbalance when rotated about its axis. In a balancing station, tapered weights are inserted into selected recesses of the brake disc rotor so as to correct rotational imbalance beyond the acceptable amount. In an auditing station, the brake disc rotor is tested again for rotational imbalance.
Typically, in the balancing station, the weights are placed individually on a smooth surface and are driven by a ram into selected recesses of the brake disc rotor being balanced. Several weights may be so driven into selected recesses of one brake disk rotor. Each recess can accommodate a single weight. It is known to use a "pick and place" device employing robotic fingers to pick up each weight and to place such weight onto the smooth surface. It has proved to be very difficult to handle the weights, which tend to be easily jarred from proper alignment with the tapered recesses of the brake disc rotors. When a weight becomes misaligned, the machine can be readily jammed.
A need has arisen, to which this invention is addressed, for an improved mechanism for inserting the weights in such a brake disc rotor-balancing machine.